Level 5 · Part 2
Choosing packaging
Match the pack to what the product fears, to the buyer and to your budget.
Start with the product, not the pack. If your product is a dry powder, moisture is the main enemy and the pack must keep water out. If it is fresh and fragile, crushing and heat matter most.
- List what the product needs protection from (from exercise 5.1).
- Choose two or three materials that could do the job.
- Check that they are suitable for contact with food and who supplies them near you.
- Think about size: choose the portion the buyer actually uses or can afford to buy at once.
- Work out the cost per pack and what share of your price it takes.
- Test the pack with your product over time, as explained in part 4.
Never reuse chemical containers
Containers that held fuel, pesticide, paint, fertiliser or other chemicals must never be used for food, even if they are washed. Use containers made for food. Reusing food-grade jars or bottles can be fine if they are thoroughly cleaned, in good condition and suitable for your product.
Do not forget the outside
Packs also need to travel. Think about the box, crate or carton that holds many packs: will it keep them dry, undamaged and clean on the way to the buyer?
Exercise 5.2 · Compare three packs
- Choose three possible packs for your product.
- For each, write what it protects against, what it costs per pack and where you can buy it.
- Choose one to test and write why.
Background reading for this part:
- Guidelines for small-scale fruit and vegetable processors (FAO Agricultural Services Bulletin 127) — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Peter Fellows, 1997